Alfalfa weevils starting to cause problems

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Published: June 26, 2014

alfalfa weevils

Alfalfa Weevils posed a serious problem for producers in the province last year, and now the insect is starting to be seen south of Steinbach.

“On Tuesday at the Provincial Hay and Silage Day in Steinbach, I was looking in the demo field near Fredensfeld, and there was a lot of damage to the upper canopy caused by the alfalfa weevil larva” said John McGregor MFGA Extension. There have been reports of the weevil in the Elm Creek area but levels there according to John Gavloski Provincial Entomologist have been low when he does his sweeps to monitor that area.

Read Also

An alfalfa crop is harvested near Stonewall, Man.

First Manitoba hay harvest short

Manitoba’s first hay cut of 2025 isn’t huge by initial counts, but things are worse farther west in the Prairies

Research shows the insect can reduce the quality and hay yield by 50% with alfalfa being the main crop affected, and as a result, farmers should be diligent when monitoring their fields.

Control methods for the weevil include spraying or cutting. The alfalfa fields around the Steinbach area are for the most part at a stage where if you had alfalfa weevils in your crop cutting may be the best option. Producers waiting for first flower to start cutting or have alfalfa seed fields may need to re-access their situation. 

explore

Stories from our other publications